Adjustable game device



July 3, 1928.

A. D. FORRY ADJUSTABLE GAME DEVICE Filed July 25, 1927 PATENT OFFICE.

ARCHIE D. FOB-BY, OF OLABKSVILLE, IOWA.

ADJ'USTABLE GAME DEVICE.

a ucmoa filed July 25,

claimed, and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2'is a plan of my improvedgame device. Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevation of the propellingdevice thereof. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view on a still largerscale of the special spring device employed with said propelling means.

The game device illustrated is specifically that to be used for a basketball game, but it is to be understood thatthe invention herein is notlimited to this species of alne, but that such modifications may be eected therein as will adapt the device for other games to which itsprinciples of operation may be applicable without departing from theinvention or the scope of the claims.

The numeral 1 denotes a base plank having longitudinally spaced crossbars 2 fixed upon its under face, divergent pairs of legs 3 being fixedupon said cross ars to suitably position the plank 1 from a supportingsurface. Upon the rear part of the plank 1 are secured a pair oftransversely spaced sockets 4 in which are fixed the lower ends of apair of vertical tubular standards 5 of the same length. Rods 6 areslidably seated in the bores of said standards 5, and may be securedtherein b means of set-screws 7. A cross bar 8 is xed upon the upperends of said rods horizontally and a rectangular back-board 9 is fixedupon said cross bar to project upwardly vertically therefrom.transversely apertured bracket fixture 10 mounted upon the front face ofthe backboard 9 medially and below its center, and fixedly carries ahorizontal ring 11, projecting forwardly. It will be seen that theback-board 9 and the ring 11 may be adj usted vertically by the meansdescribed.

The numeral 12 denotes a propeller arm, made of wood or other suitablesubstance .and having its rear part diminished and furnished with afixed metal projection 18 1927. Serial No. 208,834.

having a hole 19. A short standard 20 has its lower threaded end fixedin the medial line of the base plank 1, secured by a nut 22 on itsthreaded end, and has a forwardly hooked terminal 21 which is insertedloosely in the hole 19 of said arm hole being large enough to permitconsiderable play to said pro ection and arm.

A spring device is engaged between the lower rear part of the arm 12 andthe top of the plan 1. This device consists of a single spring rod bentand shaped as follows. The rod is bent to provide a transverse medialreach 24 havin arm parts directed to one side, the rod eing providedwith several coils 26 at the end of each arm part, and from said coilsstraight arm parts 23 project in a direction opposite to that of the armparts first mentioned and have downwardly bent terminations which areseated in holes provided in the top of the plank 1 to anchor the devicethereto, with the reach 24 in contact transversely with the under faceof the arm 12 about midway of its'length.

The numeral 14 denotes'a rod bent in an inverted U-shape having a.medial transverse reach part 13, the side members being terminallythreaded and passed downwardly through holes in the secured for verticaadjustments relative thereto by nuts 15 and 16. The reach 13 crosses the'arm 12 a distance from its forward end, and the arm 12 has in advanceof said reach 13 a circular hollow seat 17 to receive a basket ball 27.

A player may manually depress the forward end of the arm 12 whilecompressing the spring device thereunder, and then release the arm, thereacting spring swinging up the arm and projecting the ball 27 towardthe ring 11.- If the ball falls through the ring a count is recorded forthe player. When the arm 12 strikes the reach 13 in swinging upwardly,it is stopped, but the ball is projected upwardly as stated, toordinarily strike the back board 9 and bound to fall either within oroutside of the ring 11. The back board 9 may be first adjusted ingisitionv verticall by the means descri d, to vary the distance of thering 11 from the propeller arm 12. This means of adjustment of therelative position of the ring 11 in a measure prevents a practicedplayer. from acquirin which will give an a vantage over players plank 1,where they area skill at playing projection 18, the

not havin the same experience, and therefore it is air that beforebeginning a game, the position of the ring should be changed enough toobviate the advantages of prac-' tice when the ring is in one position.

However, a player may nevertheless by practice gage the differentadjustments possible for said ring 11, so I have supplied other means ofadjustment operative upon the propeller arm 12, which may be initiallyadjusted so as to render it very unlikely that any player can acquiresuch skill by practice as to much surpass an inexperienced player. Thisadjustment is secured as follows.

The nuts 15 and 16 on either side member of the looped device 14 aremanipulated to push up either member to a greater height than the othermember, thus, as shown exaggerated in Fig. 3, including the reach part13 laterally, the rod yielding at both angles of bending. As the arm 12has its rear fixed projection 18 loosely mounted upon the depending endpart 21 of the short fixed standard 20, the arm 12 is free to turnsidewise enough when it strikes the inclined reach 13 in moving upwardlyto conform to the inclination thereof, so that at the moment of stoppingthe arm and projecting the ball 27, a sidewise impulse is given to theball 27, so that it is not impelled upwardly and rearwardly over thecenter of the ring 11, but a little to one side of the center thereof.The ball may lightly strike the ring on this account in dropping.lessening the chances of its dropping through it, according to themanner of dropping the ball, so that the ball in striking the ring mayfall inwardly through the ring, or if a little too far displaced fromthe center of the ring, will bound off the ring outwardly. The two meansof adjustment, therefore, can be used to equalize the chances betweendifferent players, fortuitously. Aside from mamas mounted loosely to befreely tiltable in any direction, means for limiting the scope ofmovement of said device, and means for varying the said limiting devicein position to variably tilt the propelling device when striking thelimiting device. j

2. A device of the character described, comprising a game ball, ahorizontal ring mounted and supported for vertical adjustments, aresiliently controlled propelling arm mounted loosely for projectingsaid ball toward said ring, and a stop member crossing said arm andadjustable for lateral inclinations relative thereto to limit the scopeof movement of the arm while propelling said ball and to impart to theball when striking the inclined stop member a side wise deflection inits course.

3. A device of the character described,

comprising a game ball. a horizontal ring mounted fixedly at a desiredaltitude, a.

resiliently controlled propelling arm mounted loosely for projectingsaid ball toward said ring, and a stop member crossing said arm andadjustable for lateral inclinations relative thereto to limit theecope'bfi'movement of the arm while pro Hing said balland to impart tothe ball w en striking the inclined stop member a sidewise deflection inits course.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ARCHIE D. FORRY.

